


(Jaskier to the) Rescue

by machtaholic (cinderella81)



Category: The Witcher (TV)
Genre: Comfort, First Kiss, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:20:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24582940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinderella81/pseuds/machtaholic
Summary: Geralt gets caught unaware and ends up getting captured.  He's about to be sold off when Jaskier arrives.(Written for my Bad Things Happen Bingo prompt 'Collared and Chained')
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 18
Kudos: 284





	(Jaskier to the) Rescue

“I’ll take him off your hands for one hundred.”

Even as weak and near unconsciousness as he was, Geralt recognized Jaskier’s voice and struggled to lift his head to try to find the bard.

“And who are you?” one of the men from town asked with a frown.

“Julian Alfred Pankratz,” Jaskier said, a bit haughtily. “The Viscount de Lettenhove.”

“What’re you doin’ here?” another man asked.

“I happen to be on my way home after visiting with my invalid aunt. Not that it’s any of your business,” Jaskier replied.

Geralt could barely follow the conversation, but somehow managed to catch the fact that Jaskier was indeed there, not a figment of Geralt’s imagination. And Jaskier was a viscount?

“What’re you gonna do with him?” 

“Not really your business, is it?” Jaskier said. “I’ve the coin and I’m willing to pay. Is anyone else going to offer more?” A beat. “I thought not. Lovely. Here’s the coin, I’ll be taking my purchase now.”

There was a round of grumbling, but Geralt watched a bit blearily as Jaskier entered his field of vision and passed over a small bag of coins to the man holding his … leash.

“His belongings as well,” Jaskier said. “And your cloak.”

“Wha -”

“I’ll not have everyone ogling my property,” Jaskier said. “The cloak is to cover him now and the clothes are for later. Also, the best room at your inn. And three dinners and two tubs of steaming hot water had best be there when I get there.”

Geralt remained silent as Jaskier snatched the cloak from the man who’d been holding him the past two weeks, barely registering when Jaskier wrapped the cloak around his shoulders (which just barely hit his calves, but it was warmer than the small loincloth he’d been wearing) and led him from the room.

By the leash.

Neither one of them spoke as Jaskier led the way through town to the only inn. Geralt could feel the eyes of the townsfolk on him as Jaskier walked. It only got worse when they entered the inn - every single person in the inn went silent and stilled as Jaskier led the way to the bar.

“Is my room ready?” Jaskier asked.

“Yes, sir,” the man behind the bar said.

“Lovely,” Jaskier said. “I’m not to be distrubed. For any reason.”

“Yes, sir.”

Geralt started to become more aware as they ascended the stairs, especially once he caught the scent of food wafting down the hall. His stomach growled loudly, making Geralt painfully aware that the last time he’d had a good meal was … the night he’d been captured.

Geralt shuffled into the room behind Jaskier and blinked. 

Two tubs full of steaming, hot water.

A table with three heaping plates of food.

One big bed.

“Well, mark this down as a town I can never bard in,” Jaskier said.

Geralt hovered near the door, watching as Jaskier unloaded his stuff and Geralt’s stuff at the end of the bed.

“Okay, I’m going to suggest you eat first because you look like you’re going to fall over,” Jaskier said. “At least a little.”

“What?” Geralt asked.

“Food? Then bath?” Jaskier said slowly. “But first, let’s get rid of the chains, huh?”

Geralt stood perfectly still, barely daring to breathe as Jaskier approached him with the keys. Geralt couldn’t fight back the shiver when Jaskier removed the man’s cloak, watching as Jaskier carelessly dropped it on the ground and stepped on it as he moved around Geralt. At the first touch of Jaskier’s hands, Geralt barely held back the flinch; but Jaskier’s touch was gentle, tentative, as he used the key to remove first the manacles around Geralt’s wrists and then the … then the collar.

Geralt glared at the manacles and collar hanging from Jaskier’s hands, then blinked when Jaskier disappeared from view. He heard the door open, the telltale ‘thunk’ of the manacles and collar hitting the ground, and then the door closed and Jaskier was back in front of him.

“The way you were glaring at those things,” Jaskier said, “figured you’d set them on fire if you could.”

“Good guess,” Geralt murmured.

“Okay, so, eat at least one plate of food and then bath,” Jaskier said.

Geralt stumbled a bit when Jaskier nudged him to the plates of food. He sat carefully on the edge of one of the chairs, almost painfully aware of what he both looked like and smelled like, but then the smell of food assaulted his nose and before he knew what was happening, Geralt was halfway through one of the plates of food. 

“When was the last time you ate a real meal?” Jaskier asked.

“Two weeks ago,” Geralt said softly.

“Shite,” Jaskier said. “Finish that and then you’ll take a bath while that food settles. Then you’ll eat more.”

Geralt nodded and finished the first plate of food, his stomach feeling fuller than it had since before he’d been taken.

“Full,” Geralt muttered.

“For now,” Jaskier said. “I suspect you’ll be hungry after the bath, but we’ll get there. For now, get that horrible scrap of cloth off and get into the tub. No offense Geralt, but you smell like shite.”

“‘s what happens when you’re held in a stable,” Geralt muttered as he stood and walked over to one of the tubs. He glanced over his shoulder, smiling a bit when he noticed Jaskier had his back turned. Geralt tugged the loincloth off and slowly climbed into the tub of hot water, hissing softly.

“Too hot?” Jaskier asked, back still turned.

“No, ‘s perfect,” Geralt said.

“Okay, well here’s some soap,” Jaskier said. “Some of my own - better than whatever shite they’ve got here.”

Geralt watched Jaskier rummage around in his own things and then approach the tub with a small bar of soap.

“Thank you,” Geralt said, then frowned as he watched Jaskier clean up the table a bit and then perch on the edge of the bed. “Aren’t you going to bathe as well?”

“I didn’t spend two weeks in a stable,” Jaskier said. “I spent two weeks earning money at some rich lord’s marriage celebration. No, Geralt, the second tub is for you. You’ll get clean in this one and then go soak a bit in the other.”

Geralt paused as he was washing his arms and looked over at Jaskier.

“You got both tubs for me?”

“Of course I did,” Jaskier said.

“Oh,” Geralt murmured. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Geralt.”

The words had been hard for Geralt to say; he wasn’t used to anyone doing anything for him. Being a witcher meant essentially being an outcast, that he’d had to learn to rely on himself, to do things for himself.

Having Jaskier take care of him was … different.

Geralt tried to push it aside as he took time to carefully wash the filth and stench of two weeks in a stable from his body. His hair was horribly matted and he winced when his fingers hit a knot.

“Here, let me help,” Jaskier said softly.

Geralt heard the scrape of a stool and then felt Jaskier’s fingers in his hair, gently working out the matts and knots. Geralt couldn’t help but hum when he felt Jaskierpour a bit more water over his head and gently massage his scalp.

“This water is already really disgusting,” Jaskier said. “Why don’t you get into the other tub and we’ll properly wash your hair there, okay? I added some lavender and cedar oil, which should help a bit with the aches.”

Geralt didn’t speak, merely nodded and climbed out of the one tub and into the other. Geralt was pleased to find the water was still hot and the smells of lavender and cedar mixed well, helping Geralt to relax.

Geralt heard the scrape of the stool again and soon enough Jaskier’s hands were back in his hair; first to cup and pour warm water, then his fingers gently working soap through his hair, washing away weeks of filth. More warm water was poured to rinse the soap from his hair and then Jaskier’s fingers were back, gently massaging. Jaskier’s fingers started at Geralt’s temples, then the top of his head down the back of his head - Geralt couldn’t hold back the moan when Jaskier’s knuckles dug into the base of his skull.

“Better?” Jaskier asked softly.

“Better,” Geralt murmured. 

“Do you want to soak a bit longer? I can bring the table over so you can eat and soak at the same time,” Jaskier offered.

Geralt took stock of himself and realized that his food was settled and he was hungry again.

“I know that look,” Jaskier said. “You’re still hungry. Don’t worry about it, just hold on one moment.”

Geralt watched as Jaskier maneuvered the table so it was next to the tub.

“Eat,” Jaskier said.

“What about you?” Geralt asked as he stared at the two plates of food left on the table.

“Here,” Jaskier said, grabbing a bit of meat, cheese and a bit of bread. “I ate plenty where I was and this will tide me over until breakfast. The rest is for you, Geralt.”

Geralt paused again, staring at Jaskier; the bard continued to surprise him.

“Go on,” Jaskier said. “Eat.”

Geralt pulled the table a bit closer and began to eat. He ate slower than before, taking the time to actually taste the food, rather than just shovel it down to make sure he had sustenance. Meat and cheese and bread and even a bit of fruit - he was certain he’d had better food before but in that moment, it was the best food Geralt had ever had.

As Geralt finished eating, he realized that Jaskier was sitting behind him, gently combing his hair and humming softly. Geralt turned his focus to Jaskier and realized that Jaskier was gently braiding his hair back.

“Figure you’ll want to sleep once you get out,” Jaskier said. “And tangles are a bitch, so …”

“Thank you,” Geralt murmured.

“And here’s a dry sheet, since I’m sure the water isn’t very hot now,” Jaskier said.

Geralt eased himself out of the tub, pleased to find that the ache in his muscles had eased. He was surprised again when Jaskier helped him dry off, then helped him into the bed. Geralt groaned as he hit the mattress, watching as Jaskier began to tidy the room.

“Jaskier,” Geralt murmured.

“What?”

Geralt couldn’t actually say the words, so instead, he looked at the empty spot next to him on the bed.

“Wha - oh,” Jaskier said. “Um, okay.”

Geralt watched as Jaskier stripped down to his undergarments and then climbed onto the bed next to Geralt. He felt the bed dip, then rolled onto his side to see Jaskier watching him carefully.

“They found me that first night after you left,” Geralt murmured after a few moments. “Caught me unaware and knocked me out. When I woke up I was chained and collared in a stable. Every bit of water I got was drugged for the first week and by the time I started getting clean water I was too tired to fight.”

“Geralt,” Jaskier whispered.

“I was fully prepared to get sold to some villager and then figure out a way to make my escape,” Geralt continued. “And then you showed up.”

“This wasn’t where we were supposed to meet, but I was on the edge of town and … Roach found me,” Jaskier said.

“Just like I told him to,” Geralt whispered.

“Like you told -”

Geralt leaned in and pressed his lips to Jaskier’s in a chaste kiss.

“Thank you,” Geralt whispered. “For rescuing me.”

“Jaskier to the rescue,” Jaskier said breathlessly. “Hey Geralt?”

“Hmm?” Geralt asked as he rolled towards Jaskier, resting his head on Jaskier’s chest.

“Will you kiss me again?”

Geralt hummed and wrapped an arm around Jaskier’s middle, holding him close as sleep started to overtake him. He felt Jaskier’s hand gently rub his back and sighed softly.

“After this short nap,” Geralt mumbled.


End file.
